Lyon and Shopping… for Those Who Hate Shopping

In general, I find shopping to be about as fun as going to the dentist. It’s boring, tedious, uncomfortable, and expensive. That’s why it took me a while to discover that I actually liked shopping in Lyon, that the city is full of lovely little shops run by talented designers and artists hoping to sell their unique wares at a fair price.

Most of my favorite spots are nestled in the maze-like Pentes de la Croix Rousse neighborhood, where each window is a picturesque surprise: this one a violin maker, unvarnished instruments surrounded by wood shavings, that one a bicycle repair shop, road bike triage and handlebar bells for sale. Prints, vintage clothing, hand-made jewelry, second-hand refinished furniture: find it all here. It evokes an artisan environment like that of hipster Brooklyn but without the pretension.

Here are a few of my picks, just in time for last-minute holiday shopping (or if you’re looking for a pleasant way to pass an afternoon):

In general, walking up the Montée de la Grande Côté is a good bet for discovering all manner of lovelies, because several stores along it offer a rotating roster of products by artisan jewelry, bag, and clothing-makers.

I think I can bear – and even enjoy – shopping in Lyon because stores like this make it more like treasure-hunting.

(All photos from store websites or pages, with the exception of the last one.)